Safety Recommendation
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau recommends that
Airservices Australia, in consultation with the Civil Aviation
Safety Authority, review the requirements for the dissemination of
SIGMET information with a view to minimising differences between
air traffic control procedures contained in the Aeronautical
Information Publication and those contained in ICAO Doc.4444 and
ICAO Doc.7030.
The following information provides an update on actions taken to
address the above Safety Recommendation.
Airservices' activity is occurring both internationally and
domestically on this matter. We have corresponded with the
Australian representative on APANPIRG and the ICAO office in
Bangkok to begin research into the origin and practicality of
applying the Doc 7030 two hour dissemination requirement. This
research will look at possible alignment with Europe and North
America. These regions do not currently specify a difference to Doc
4444 in this area.
Domestically, Airservices is working with CASA with regard to
the SIGMET requirement. Within Airservices we are also examining
the technical and practical feasibility of identifying aircraft
operating, or planning to operate in the Australian FIR, that are
two hours away from a SIGMET area. In addition we are considering
what also could be done to enable two hour dissemination. Depending
on the outcome of these activities, Airservices will develop an
appropriate roll out strategy and implementation timeframe.
I refer to the above recommendation regarding the difference
between Airservices procedures relating to dissemination of SIGMET
information and ICAO Doc 4444 and 7030. In essence, the difference
related to a one hour requirement in the Airservices document and a
two hour requirement in ICAO. The matter was also referred to in
[Deleted] letter to you dated 21 December 2007.
I am pleased to advise that Airservices has implemented a change
to the requirement which will be published in the Manual of Air
Traffic Services (MATS) effective 20 November 2008. The new
procedure states:
9-10-420 Aircraft to notify
Notify aircraft, at the time operational information and the
existence of non-¬routine MET products are identified:
a. by directed transmission to those aircraft maintaining
continuous communication and within one hour's flight time of the
conditions (two hours in the case of SIGMET); and
b. where continuous communication is not required, by
broadcasting on appropriate ATS frequencies to those aircraft that
could be within one hour's flight time of the conditions (two hours
in the case of SIGMET); and
c. by directed transmission to all affected aircraft engaged in
SAR action.
